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My son came home from gym class the other day and announced he wants to play hockey. For the first time. In Minnesota. At the age of ten.

Minnesota is state where winter is long and dads are fitting their kids with helmets and pulling them on tiny skates before they can walk.

My son doesn’t skate.

Here is what I was thinking. “There is no way you can start hockey at the age of ten in Minnesota. You’ll be killed, and the leagues will tell you that you are washed up before you get on the ice.”

Here’s what I said, “Let me see what I can find out, honey.”

To make a short story of how our family’s life went down the hockey rabbit hole, my son is on a hockey team in a great league that is going to teach him to skate. Every morning this week, before his eyes were barely open he’d say, “3 days till my first hockey practice!” He was planning how he will learn to skate, trying on his equipment, and hitting a ball around the backyard with his new stick.

Here’s the point: My son believes he can learn to play hockey. So he will.

OK, all you cynics out there who are thinking, “Yeah great, that’s a story about a young kid doing something fun. This can’t apply to adults or to work.”

Keep reading.

This story (told with permission) shows how belief does have to do with adults and work.

One of my friends, who is a rebel if ever there was one, sent me this response to a recent newsletter. Wait until you see what she does for a living!

“When I tell people that I take people all over the world to do flower arranging, they say, 'what?' 'sputter?' 'how?' 'Um, I had an idea. I wanted to go to a castle in France and pick flowers and show people how to arrange flowers and guess what? People wanted to come.' Or that I teach Encaustic painting at art centers up and down the east coast (I needed to look that one up and you can, too, right here). 'How did you get that job?' they ask. 'I called them and asked if they wanted an Encaustic instructor.' It is a great, great world we live in. Truly." (Check out Ginnie Peterson’s business, Crocus Hill Studio).

Like my son, Ginnie didn’t spend time analyzing all the reasons her idea couldn’t work. She just believed it could and took action.

Life is not perfect. Failure is always part of the journey. And, your beliefs are a huge driver in the results you get.

This wouldn’t be the rebelicious newsletter if I didn’t have tips for you. Here you go, strategies for putting belief into action through the metaphor of hockey.

1. Find the right league. Have humility to know what you don’t know. And don’t let what you don’t know stop you for one second. Find the right coaches, mentors, and fit for what you want.

2. Get on the ice. You won't learn a darn thing if you don't skate (and fall on your butt a million times).

3. Don’t listen to the people around you who say you can’t or you shouldn’t or you’re crazy – even if that person is YOU!

4. Set realistic goals and give yourself credit for every bit of progress. Maybe all you will do this practice is stand without falling. Next time, you'll skate to the other side of the arena without falling down.

I have to go deliver the forgotten water bottle to my son on the ice so I’ll sign off here. Hit reply and tell me a story about how belief combined with action led to your success.